NY Cooperator September 2020

September 2020 COOPERATOR.COM continued on page 10 to upgrades in the home, however, many of us are reluctant, even though the stakes can be much higher—we’ll patch and repair a fur- nace or roof as long as we possibly can before even considering a replacement, running the risk of paying more in the long run. Luckily, when it comes to energy, there is a wide range of prod- ucts and technologies that can be implemented to achieve savings in cost, consumption, and climate impact. Many of the pros we spoke continued on page 2 COVID-19 has caused more far-rang- ing, persistent anxiety than any other event in recent history. It has affected our jobs, our living situations, and the way we interact with others, and it’s not done with us yet. Scientists and public health experts are still refining their understanding of the way the virus spreads, but one thing they have determined for certain is that the novel coronavirus spreads through the air—especially within enclosed spaces— and does so far more easily indoors than outdoors or via surface contact. “Outside is better than inside” has become a refrain among health experts. And fortunately, in these summer months most of us can go outside safely on most days. We can maintain social distancing to provide protection from infection. We can wear a mask. (And to the city’s great credit, the vast majority of New Yorkers do wear them.) But the dog days of late summer still lie ahead. What happens when the weather is just too hot for out- door activities or open windows? And what happens after that, when the weather turns cold, and open windows and out- door forays become impossible for the op- posite reason? Among the seemingly end- less questions we all have about the virus is how it behaves in more or less enclosed spaces when HVAC equipment is running to either heat or cool those spaces. Air Conditioning and COVID-19 Transmission of the novel coronavirus is thought to happen mainly through large droplets expelled from a carrier’s mouth and nose during coughing, sneezing, or talking. Evidence also suggests that at least some cases of COVID-19 occur via Whether you reside in, manage, or serve on the board of a co-op, condo, or HOA, examining your building’s energy efficiency from top to bottom, inside and out, will have enormous implications for individual and communal costs, energy conservation, and en- vironmental conditions. And in the current unprecedented global viral pandemic, it is more important than ever to consider that making changes to power sources and systems can have collective health effects as well. So where to begin? In this two-part investigation of energy innovations for multifamily properties, we will help you understand the latest products and systems, how to navigate the slow-moving channels of energy bureaucracy, and even find ways to help pay for en- ergy upgrades. Additionally, we will cover the question permeating every aspect of life these days: How does the coronavirus crisis affect all of this? This first part explores new energy-efficient products and updates that can be installed in individual units. These innovations have varying costs and levels of complexity, but all of them will pay for themselves in terms of reduced utility bills, lower environmental impact, and comfort and quality of life. Some states even have programs and incentives to defray the uptake expenses. Part two will delve into broader changes at the building-wide and community level, including how local and federal legislation is impacting the future of clean energy. Low-Hanging Fruit Living as we do in the Digital Age, technology seems to develop so quickly that what was just recently cutting-edge is now obsolete. Nevertheless, we continue to look for and find ways to invest in new concepts or products, even if they’re destined to be replaced with something newer and better. Think about how we line up for the latest smartphone the minute it is available, even if the one we have is perfectly functional. When it comes While pockets of disagreement still lin- ger in some quarters, climate change—and the science explaining it—is very real. And while fluctuations in seasonal weather are normal, the general trend toward a hotter planet is clear, evidenced by melting ice caps, dwindling glaciers, rising sea lev- els, and increasing incidences of extreme weather worldwide. Environmental scien- tists warn we are reaching a critical ‘point- of-no-return’ past which the everyday social and economic qualities of life we’ve become accustomed to in the developed world will no longer be possible. While interest groups argue about how to respond to this existential threat, others are finding ways to acclimatize their com- munities to the changes that have already arrived, and to ready themselves for what’s to come. Real estate professionals, boards, and co-op and condo residents are all mak- ing changes in everything from how their buildings are insulated to how they gener- ate or consume electrical power. Urban vs. Suburban Gautam Tarafdar is the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Mid-Atlantic and New England regional director, and is at the forefront of plan- ning for climate change. “The challenges of climate change for residential commu- nities differ greatly based on location and whether it’s an urban or suburban com- munity,” he says, “but at its core the con- versation is about resilience planning. How do you create a space that is better able to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a catastrophic event, such as flooding, a hurricane, drought, wildfires, etc.? Green building strategies serve as the cornerstone for enhancing a building’s resilience. It’s a concept that more owners, developers, and investors are becoming aware of, because it helps these properties address climate risks that have potentially costly repercussions— but it’s also a way to improve their assets.” One indicator of the real estate indus- try’s environmental concern is the Leader- Multifamily Energy Saving Solutions Part 1: Incremental Upgrades BY DARCEY GERSTEIN A Change in the Air How Developers, Managers, and Owners are Responding to Climate Change BY A J SIDRANSKY Securing Air Quality in the COVID-19 Era HVAC, HEPA Filters, and UV Disinfection BY A.J. SIDRANSKY 205 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10016 • CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED continued on page 12